Easel attachment for display boxes, cards, pictures, and the like.



1 T. H. DE LACY. EASEL ATTACHMENT FOR DISPLAY BOXES, CARDS, PICTURES, AND THE LIKE.

APPLIUATION FILED IU-LY1, 1910.

999 363 Patented Aug. 1, 1911.

'2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E 2 @MMM TIMZMJHJJM] COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 20., WASHINGTON, D. c.

T, H. DE LACY. v EASEL ATTACHMENT FOB. DISPLAY BOXES, CARDS, PICTURES, AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, 1910.

999,363, Patented Aug". 1,1911.

2 SHEBTSr-SHEET 2.

I COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH 420., WASHINGTON. D. c.

THOMAS H. DE LACY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO H. BRIDGMAN SMITH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

EASEL ATTACHMENT FOR DISPLAY BOXES, CARDS, PICTURES, AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1911..

Application filed July 1, 1910. Serial No. 569,950.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS H. DE LACY, a subject of the King of England, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Easel Attachment-s for Display Boxes, Cards, Pictures, and the Like, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to an improved foldable or collapsible and reversible easel, especially designed for attachment to boxes of merchandise, display cards, counter signs, pictures and the like, and it has for some of its objects to provide an easel that will be simple in construction, cheap to manufacture, easy of application and effective in operation.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings I have illustrated one embodiment of the invention, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a box having my improved easel attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same, showing the easel folded or collapsed. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blank from which the easel is formed, and Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a box showing the easel attached in position for use. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the easel provided with additional locking means for preventing the locking flap escaping from between the wings of the easel. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 7 is a view of the blank for forming the easel illustrated in Fig. 5.

The easel is preferably formed of boxboard or other suitable material and comprises a substantially rectangular body por tion 1, having oppositely arranged wings 2, joined to the body portion along folding lines 3. Each wing has a flap 4, at its free end, said flaps being joined to the wings along folding lines 5, and constituting the means for attaching the easel to a display box, card, picture or other object A, to be supported. By preference the combined width of the two flaps 4, is approximately equal to the maximum width of the central body portion 1, so that when they are attached to the object A to be displayed, as shown, their edges may abut, and the wings 2 will lie parallel to each other.

As will be seen by referring to the drawing, the opposite edges 7 of the wings 2, are cut on inclined lines which converge toward the body portion 1, of the easel, and as these edges 7 constitute the supporting portions for the easel when the same is set up and attached for use, it will be apparent that the angle of inclination thereof will determine the tilt or inclination of the box or other object to which the easel is attached.

By preference I form both wings 2, of the same shape and dimensions, each wing having its opposite edges 7 preferably out on the same angle of inclination, or in any event the angle of inclination of one of the edges 7, of one of the wings must be a counterpart of the corresponding edge of its companion wing. By this construction the easel is made reversible, in that either pair of edges 7, may constitute the supporting portions thereof and care need not therefore be exercised by the manufacturer in attaching the easel to the object to be displayed. This is a very great convenience, especially in instances where large orders are being filled and materially reduces the cost of manufacture, because no time need be lost by the operator in attaching the easel to its object so as to bring its lower or supporting edges in a certain definite position relatively to said object, which would not be the case with a construction where only one of the edges 7 of the wing was formed as a supporting edge.

One of the stated objects of the invention is to provide an easel that may be collapsed or folded flat upon the object to which it is attached and in Fig. 2, of the accompanying drawing I have shown the easel in its collapsed state.

In order to maintain the side wings 2 extended and against collapsing when the easel is attached in position for use, I provide a locking flap 8, joined to the central body portion 1, along folding lines 9, said flap being adapted to be folded down between the side wings 2, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and when thus folded it will be apparent that the side wings cannot collapse but will be held extended in a firm and rigidmanner. I prefer to make the free end 10, of the locking flap wider than that portion thereof where it joins with the body portion, so that when it is pushed down between the side wings 2, it will make a close frictional fit against the walls of said wingssuflicient to slightly bulge the latter as more clearly shown in Fig. 4, and thus prevent accidental collapsing of the structure when set up for use.

In the drawings I have shown two oppositely located locking flaps each oined to the central body portion, but in practice I prefer to use only a single flap as this has proven in practice to be a satisfactory construction, although in some instances two of such flaps may be desirable.

In order to attach the easel to its object it is only necessary to fold the wings 2, and flaps 4, along their folding lines as shown in Fig. 1, then apply adhesive to the outer surface of said flaps 4;, and press the adhesively coated surfaces into contact with the object, and when so attached the side wings may be folded fiat as shown in Fig. 2. When it is desired to set up the attached easel in position for use, the side wings 2, are swung outward until they assume the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4E, and the locking flap is then folded down between said wings which securely holds the latter against collapsing action.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 illustrate additional means for retaining the locking flap 8 in position between the wings 2, so that it cannot swing, or be pushed out and thus permit the easel to collapse. This retaining means is in the nature of a tab or lug 11 cut from the body of each wing 2 which, when the locking flap is folded inward between the wings, said tabs or lugs are also bent inwardly on folding lines 12 so as to appear outside the locking flap and form abutments which securely fasten said locking flap between the wings so that it cannot spring or be moved outwardly. lVhen two locking flaps are used, the tabs or lugs 11 are cut in the wings 2 as shown.

In practice I prefer to stamp or cut the easel from a single integral blank, the folding lines being properly creased or scored during the stamping or cutting operation and this materially reduces the cost of manufacture.

What I claim is 1. An easel of the character described, comprising a central portion having oppositely arranged side wings joined to said central portion along parallel folding lines, said wings having their opposite edges cut on inclined lines at similar angles to the common axis of the wings and converging toward the central portion whereby the easel may be reversibly supported by said edges, a fiap joined to each wing and constituting the attaching means for the easel, and a locking flap joined to and formed as an extension of one side of said central portion and adapted to be folded in between the side wings when the easel is attached in position for use.

2. An easel of the character described,

comprising a central portion having oppositely arranged equally inclined side wings joined thereto along parallel folding lines, an attaching flap joined to the free end of each wing the combined width of said flaps being equal to the width of the central portion, and constituting the attaching means for the easel, and a locking flap joined to said central portion and projecting therefrom at a right angle to said wings and adapted to be folded in between the same.

8. An easel blank comprising a central portion having integral oppositely extending side wings, the opposite edges of which incline and converge toward the central portion to render said easel reversible, an attaching fla on the free end of each wing, said flaps eing in parallel relation, and a locking flap formed integral with the central portion and projecting therefrom in a direc tion at right angles to the side wings.

l. An easel of the character described, comprising a strip of suitable material folded in a rectangular form, an integral locking flap adapted to be inturned between parallel sides, and tabs on said parallel sides foldable over the inturned flap to hold it in place.

5. An easel of the character described, comprising a central portion having oppositely arranged side wings joined to said central portion along folding lines, a flap joined to each wing for direct attachment to the object to be supported, locking flaps jointed to said central portion at right angles to the side wings and adapted to be folded in between the said wings when the easel is attached in position for use, and a pair of tabs formed on each wing to be folded inwardly one tab of each pair engaging over each of said locking flaps.

6. An easel blank comprising a central portion having integral oppositely extending side wings each rovided at its free end with an attaching fl ap, the opposite edges of said wings being inclined and conver ing toward the central body portion, a looking flap formed integral with the body portion and projecting therefrom in a direction at right angles to the side wings, and a retaining tab formed in the body of each side wing in position to be folded into engagement with said locking flap to retain it in position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS H. DE LACY.

WVitnesses:

R. C. IRISH, E. A. MARscHALK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

